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Body of child stowaway found in US cargo plane

Associated Press
8:16 a.m. PDT July 30, 2014

A C-130 cargo plane lands at the NATO airbase in Aviano, Italy, Monday, March 21, 2011. Italy is warning that it will review the use of its bases by coalition forces for strikes against Libya if the mission doesn't pass to NATO's command. Foreign Minister Franco Frattini issued the ultimatum Monday after Turkey blocked NATO from approving a military strategy that would allow NATO's participation in the operation. Italy has allowed seven military bases to be used, and six Italian Tornados took part in operations over Libya on Sunday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)(Photo: Luca Bruno ASSOCIATED PRESS)

WASHINGTON (AP) - A Pentagon spokesman says the body of a teen stowaway was found and removed from a compartment above the rear landing gear of a U.S. Air Force C-130J cargo aircraft after it landed at a military base in Germany.

Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said the stowaway was a black male who may have been of African origin. He said the plane stopped in several African countries before it arrived Sunday at Germany's Ramstein air base.

Kirby said the body was found during a routine post-flight maintenance inspection of the cargo plane. He said the body had been turned over to German authorities for autopsy, and the matter is under investigation.

He said it is not known when or where the stowaway entered the landing gear wheel well.